Healing Wings
by Olivehasleftthebuilding
Summary: Ashfur feels lost and depressed in a world where Squirrelflight decided to be with Brambleclaw, so he gives up on finding love. Turns out, there is another cat in ThunderClan who loves him, but at what cost? (AU that takes place after Sunset; also an Ashfur redemption fic)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I don't really feel like doing an allegiances as of now, so let's just get on with the prologue!**

The small flecked tom dipped his head in defeat as what he thought as his red tabby mate scampered over to the dark brown tabby, Brambleclaw. The flecked tom watched as the two exchanged mews, eventually ending in "Hawkfrost is dead?!"

The red tabby seemed surprised as her namesake bushy tail spiked in surprise. "I thought you loved him," she playfully sneered.

Brambleclaw narrowed his eyes as if wondering what she meant with these words. "He attempted to murder Firestar!" he growled, regaining composure.

The flecked tom narrowed his eyes. _So our deal never worked…._

The flecked tom, Ashfur, had made a desperate deal with the traitorous Hawkfrost to steal the red tabby, Squirrelflight, from Brambleclaw. Ashfur was to find a way to pull Brambleclaw in after Firestar was immobilized by the fox trap. Birchpaw warned Brambleclaw that there was RiverClan scent in ThunderClan territory. Ashfur hid away from the scene, in the hope that Brambleclaw would join Hawkfrost in killing the ThunderClan leader. It failed, it seemed.

Ashfur turned towards his den. _It's over!_ He was deeply upset, but he understood that Brambleclaw had better things going for. _And what do I have? I've likely been barred from StarClan, itself!_ Ashfur groaned as he collapsed into a warrior den that seemed a twinge emptier without Mousefur and Sootfur.

It seemed even worse when nobody wanted to comfort him. He just wanted to wail like a kit, snuggled in Brindleface's belly fur. _Too bad she's dead as well!_

Ashfur closed his eyes and tucked his muzzle into his chest and paws, wrapping his tail around him. _That may have been my last chance at seeing happiness!_

Little did Ashfur know, a small white she-cat was gazing into the warrior's den where Ashfur laid.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Chapters will be longer!**

"No, no, no! This way!" Ashfur was focused on his lonely, wayward apprentice, Birchpaw. Birchpaw had gotten yet another move wrong! It highly frustrated him that he had Birchpaw, considering that Brambleclaw easily became deputy a few moons before Berrypaw was apprenticed. Now, Ashfur wanted Birchpaw to excel more than Berrypaw ever could!

Across the Sandy Hollow, Brackenfur was demonstrating a more complex move on Whitepaw. As soon as Ashfur gazed over there, Whitepaw paused and warmly gazed back, earning a confused look from Birchpaw.

Ashfur quickly turned back to his apprentice and began to demonstrate the move, the front paw swipe. Birchpaw was slightly better, but still slow. Ashfur narrowed his eyes and growled under his breath. "Faster."

Birchpaw rounded his eyes in guilt and worry. "Yes, uncle!" He continued to practice over and over. He was quick, but his movements were slightly clumsy.

Ashfur rolled his eyes as he redirected his gaze over to a concerned Brackenfur. "What?"

Brackenfur rounded his eyes in worry. "You should go easy on Birchpaw," he told Ashfur. "Apprentices learn better when confident." Brackenfur extended his gaze to a nervous Birchpaw with pleading eyes.

Ashfur narrowed his eyes. "He is doing the most basic fighting move," he grunted. "He should be fighting with the complex moves of a senior apprentice." _Which he is…_

Brackenfur sighed. "Relax," he assured Ashfur. "He's an amazing hunter! If you give him time, he'll do much better!" Brackenfur turned his gaze back to Whitepaw, who was working hard to master a complex fighting technique.

Ashfur didn't really understand Brackenfur's patience, especially since Whitepaw had recently extended her apprenticeship until the end of Birchpaw's. _At least Birchpaw's getting his name today! I'll never agree to mentorship again!_

Indeed, Birchpaw did get his name. As soon as the ceremony was over, Whitewing ran over to Ashfur excitedly, much to Birchfall's dismay.

Birchfall padded over to Berrypaw and sat next to him, narrowing his eyes at Ashfur and Whitewing.

Ashfur backed away from Whitewing in annoyance and gazed over to the nursery where Squirrelflight was glaring at him.

As soon as the two former lovers caught each other's eyes, Squirrelflight scoffed and reentered the nursery, presumably to watch over her kits, Lionkit, Hollykit, and Jaykit. They weren't as active, yet, but they could still cause trouble where it wasn't needed.

"Why couldn't we watch the ceremony?" a shrill voice asked. "Hush, Lionkit," Squirrelflight mewed. "You three are too young." That earned a tiny scoff, presumably from Jaykit, who was blind.

Ashfur decided to send Brambleclaw a smug glare, before heading back into the warrior's den. _His apprentice is barely seven moons old!_

Considering that Ashfur wasn't in the mood for anything else that day, he slept until moonhigh, where he saw Birchfall and Whitewing sitting vigil. He yawned and sat up, followed by padding out into the clearing.

He silently stared Birchfall down. "Congrats, you two," he muttered.

Ashfur was amused when Birchfall looked up, surprised. _I should have guessed!_ Whitewing was happy and her eyes sparkled cheerfully.

Ashfur turned around to see Squirrelflight's kits behind him. "What are you three doing up so late?"

Lionkit gazed up innocently, followed by Hollykit, while Jaykit seemed to be focused on something else. "We wanted to see-observe Whitewing and Birchfall's vigil!" Lionkit mewed, seemingly careful to correct his mistakes with sight, considering that his own brother was blind. _That poor scrap,_ Ashfur thought mockingly, _he doesn't have the freedom most kits have with speech!_

"Go back to the nursery," Ashfur commanded them. "Your mother will be missing you!"

Jaykit frowned, right up at Ashfur's face. _Creepy…_ "Fine, then!" Jaykit snapped, rushing back to the nursery.

Hollykit glared up at Ashfur. "Jaykit doesn't like you," she warned.

Lionkit quickly agreed and the two remaining kits scampered back to the nursery.

He turned around to an impressed Whitewing, who gave him a soft smile. Birchfall gave her a hard nudge for that and Ashfur padded back into the warrior's den for some much-needed sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Ashfur yawned as he watched Squirrelflight's three toss a mouse that he specifically gave them for his own amusement. It was funny that their parents didn't even care to watch them at all. He twitched his tail as Jaykit fell onto Foxkit and Icekit, his sister's kits. "Sorry!" Jaykit squeaked as Ferncloud shooed him and his siblings out of the nursery to play. Jaykit dragged the scrawny little mouse with him.

Ashfur gave the kits a hard glare as if he didn't expect the three to toss the mouse around. "You shouldn't be playing with your prey," he scolded them. "It's against the code." Jaykit frowned and Lionkit twitched his whiskers. "If you let us out of camp, we can catch you another mouse!" Hollykit suggested.

Ashfur hesitated for a moment. _This could get the kits in trouble,_ he thought. _But it would easily be traced back to me and that's where I draw the line._ "Unfortunately," he mewed carefully. "I can't let you break a second code. Go ask the elders for a story." Jaykit groaned. "Longtail told us that Cloudtail caught a vole when he was a kit in a snowstorm!" Lionkit nodded eagerly. "You and Ferncloud were there too!" Hollykit smirked slightly. "You and your sister didn't get in trouble," she finished.

Ashfur vaguely remembered that day. _Brindleface was so concerned._ "Well Cloudtail had to clean the elders' ticks for a moon," he snapped. His fur prickled aggressively. Suddenly, Ashfur felt himself being pushed away from his former love's kits. "Sorry little ones," Whitewing mewed. "Ashfur isn't the most patient warrior around, but still, I don't recommend leaving camp." Lionkit sighed leading the kits over to the elder's den as Ashfur growled bluntly.

Whitewing glanced at Ashfur, concerned. "Why are you picking on kits, suddenly?" she asked, her green eyes becoming pools of worry. Ashfur gave her a hard stare. "They're the three cats that aggravate me the most!" he hissed. Whitewing frowned. "Look," she mewed. "You're going to have to get over it. There are plenty of other she-cats to love." She flicked her white tail. "It isn't the kits' fault that Squirrelflight loved Brambleclaw," she reasoned. "Sure, they may be the result of it, but that doesn't mean you bully them in your spare time."

Ashfur stared at Whitewing in surprise. "How many other Clanmates are aware of the tainted relationship between Squirrelflight and I?" Whitewing shrugged. "Between your issues with Brambleclaw and Brightheart's issues with Daisy, I'd say not as much as you'd think." Ashfur blinked. "Brightheart had issues with Daisy?" Whitewing nodded with a slight chuckle. "You are so self centered," she purred. "I believe it was only Sandstorm, Leafpool, and Cinderpelt that were aware of it."

Ashfur nodded, looking away. "It just hurts to feel betrayed and alone," he sighed. "I-I just want to feel loved, I guess." Ashfur could feel the tears pooling up and streaming down his face like the gorge in WindClan old territory. Whitewing nodded in understanding. "I see," she mewed. "I think you need someone to care about or to love." Ashfur blinked. "I don't have any other cats that are my age," he explained. The only apprentice who trained with me that wasn't my cousin or a tom was Tawnypelt and she's with Rowanclaw in ShadowClan." Whitewing nodded thoughtfully. "I have an idea, but it needs to stay a secret between you and I," she told him. "Birchfall can't know about it until the end."

Ashfur nodded. "It's safe with me," he mewed. Whitewing nodded. "If you can find the time, I wish for you to father one of my kits." Ashfur gasped. "Is that even morally right!?" Whitewing shrugged. "Mousefur was pretty sure that one of Bluestar's kits, Mosskit, was the result of her mother being mates with both Thrushpelt and Oakheart," she replied. "In other words, Oakheart sired Mistyfoot and Stonefur, while Thrushpelt sired Mosskit."

She smiled innocently. "At least that's Mousefur's theory," she claimed. "Mousefur said that her mother, One-eye, claimed that Mosskit resembled Thrushpelt more that Oakheart." Ashfur nodded. "Are you sure you wish to do this?" Whitewing nodded. "Birchfall has already asked for kits," she mewed. "I accepted." Ashfur sighed. "Alright," he mewed. "But please don't mention this to anyone."

Whitewing nodded. "I understand," she mewed. "I just wish for you to be happy." Ashfur nodded. _I don't need my Clanmates getting the wrong idea about me,_ he thought. _Squirrelflight may be gone, but even though I promised to leave her kits be, I refuse to just accept that Squirrelflight gets to go unpunished. Be ready Squirrelflight, because when the time comes, I will have no mercy to give._


	4. Chapter 4

Ashfur often avoided Whitewing as she was expecting, although training his new apprentice, Lionpaw, did help to an extent. However, Lionpaw was unsure about Ashfur's approach to training him.

"Come on Lionpaw!" Ashfur encouraged Lionpaw in a spar with Berrypaw. "Go for his belly!" "Put your full weight on him, Berrypaw!" Brambleclaw told his apprentice as Lionpaw ducked away from a cuff to the ear by Berrypaw. ""Roll to the side, Lionpaw!" Ashfur told Lionpaw as Berrypaw reared up.

Lionpaw rolled to the side, but Berrypaw put all his weight to his side and crashed onto Lionpaw, smirking. "Impressive," Brambleclaw mewed to Berrypaw. "You've got the fine markings of a warrior." Berrypaw's eyes sparkled as the cream tom got off of Lionpaw. Lionpaw's eyes were dejected for a moment before the golden tom crashed into Berrypaw's side, causing him to yelp in surprise.

"Don't forget to make sure that your enemy is truly defeated," Ashfur told Berrypaw. Ashfur smirked at Brambleclaw, waiting for the dark tabby tom to hiss in anger. Instead, Brambleclaw nodded thoughtfully. "Ashfur was correct," the dark tabby told his apprentice. "Especially when going against rogues or ShadowClan." Brambleclaw returned Ashfur's smirk with a glare.

"Yeah, Lionpaw!" Berrypaw mewed. "You battle like a rogue!" Brambleclaw set his tail on Berrypaw's shoulders. Berrypaw's fur spiked, causing Lionpaw to chuckle. "Sorry Brambleclaw!" Berrypaw squeaked. "Sorry 'hedgehogpaw'," Lionpaw mimicked Berrypaw under his breath so that only Berrypaw and Ashfur could hear.

Ashfur smiled, knowing that Lionpaw was going to be a fun apprentice to train. The cream kittypet was no warrior, even as a trained senior apprentice. Lionpaw, however, had the makings of a fine warrior. _He reminds me of both Hawkfrost and Squirrelflight,_ he mused to himself.

"You can have the rest of the day to yourself," Ashfur told Lionpaw, who brightened up considerably. "You did well today." Lionpaw ran off towards camp excitedly. Brambleclaw stiffened and padded over to Ashfur. "What are you teaching my son?" Brambleclaw whisper-hissed.

"How to be better than Berrypaw," Ashfur whispered to Brambleclaw with glee. "I failed quite a bit with Birchfall, didn't I?" "More like he's a pre-mature father," Brambleclaw retorted. "What makes you and Squirrelflight any better?" Ashfur asked.

"Brambleclaw?" Berrypaw mewed. "What do I do next?" Brambleclaw glared at Ashfur. "This isn't over," he muttered. "Let's work on your reaction time," Brambleclaw mewed as Ashfur padded back to camp.

* * *

Ashfur was tackled and pinned by Birchfall when the gray flecked tom had entered his own camp. "You had kits with Whitewing!" Ashfur froze. He may have forgotten that Whitewing went into labor that morning. "However," he hissed. "I'll be keeping Olivekit, since I know he's my kit!"

Ashfur tried to innocently smile, but that didn't work. "Whitewing won't be raising those _cinder-rats_ ," Birchfall hissed. "Give them to Ferncloud or Daisy!" Birchfall got off of Ashfur as Spiderleg reached them and Ashfur padded over to the nursery. _Didn't expect Birchfall to freak out,_ Ashfur thought.

Ferncloud had her tail wrapped around Ashfur's kits when he arrived. "Here to name them?" Ferncloud asked. Ashfur nodded. "Then come here you mouse-brain!" The first kit was pale gray with a white muzzle and darker ears ending in tufts. Her fur was soft and curly like a dove. "Dovekit," Ashfur mewed, resting his tail on his first daughter. Ferncloud nodded. "That's a beautiful name," she replied.

His second kit was a dark silver tabby with a white belly and white paws. Her fur was more ruffled like his own and her tabby markings were bold like there was ivy on her. "Ivykit," Ashfur mewed, giving his other daughter a nuzzle. Ferncloud nodded. "Dovekit and Ivykit," she repeated to herself, softly.

Ashfur then gazed thankfully at Whitewing, who had a single pale brown tabby tom with short fur nestling against her belly. _Olivekit,_ Ashfur thought. "Is Ashfur a mouse-brain?" Foxkit suddenly asked Ferncloud. "Maybe," Ashfur replied before Ferncloud gave the russet and white tom a half-hearted nod. Icekit cuffed Foxkit on his ear. "Rude fox-heart," she hissed.

"Sorry!" Foxkit joked. "But Mousefur said that ShadowClan already had a Foxheart, so I'm gonna be Foxcatcher instead!" "That's not what I said!" Icekit squeaked as she pounced on Foxkit, the two kits rolling around. Ferncloud chuckled. "I suppose you should go see Leafpool for those scratches," she mewed.

Ashfur sighed. His shoulders did sting. "Bye, Ashfur!" Foxkit mewed before he was pinned down by Icekit. "Mouse-brain!" she hissed to her brother. Ashfur left for Leafpool's den.

Jaypaw pricked his ears as Ashfur entered. "Do we have to heal the fox-heart?" Jaypaw asked Leafpool. "Jaypaw!" Leafpool scolded the tabby tom. "Of course we do!" "You're never on my side," Jaypaw muttered. Leafpool gave Ashfur a sympathetic look. _Where did the sympathy come from?_ Ashfur wondered.


End file.
